Program looks to teach children, 'Be Brave Be Safe'

Twenty-five schools in the county are piloting a program developed by Erin Runnion to teach children how to recognize and prevent abductions. FILE PHOTO: MICHAEL KITADA, FOR THE REGISTER

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Samantha Runnion was abducted nearly 11 years ago at age 5. Her body was found off of Ortega Highway. PHOTO COURTESY OF ERIN RUNNION

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Samantha Runnion was 5-years-old when she was abducted by a stranger, molested and killed. Erin Runnion has developed a program to teach children how to recognize and prevent abductions. Runnion wants the program incorporated into school curricula. MARIE EKBERG PADILLA, FOR THE REGISTER

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Erin Runnion talks about the behavior of child predators with about 100 parents at Ladera Ranch Elementary School on Tuesday. Runnion has started a program to teach children how to recognize and prevent abductions. She wants the program to be incorporated into school curricula. MARIE EKBERG PADILLA, FOR THE REGISTER

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About 100 parents listen to Erin Runnion at the Ladera Ranch Elementary School Tuesday. Runnion's daughter, Samantha, was abducted by a stranger at age 5, molested and killed. Erin Runnion has developed a program to teach children how to recognize and prevent abductions. Runnion wants the program incorporated into school curricula. MARIE EKBERG PADILLA, FOR THE REGISTER

Twenty-five schools in the county are piloting a program developed by Erin Runnion to teach children how to recognize and prevent abductions. FILE PHOTO: MICHAEL KITADA, FOR THE REGISTER

LADERA RANCH – Five-year-old Samantha Runnion was brave, had a sense of justice and loved to stretch her arms up over her head in a victory pose.

Erin Runnion was painting a picture of her daughter for about 100 parents who came to Ladera Ranch Elementary School on Tuesday to hear Runnion speak about a safety program – Be Brave Be Safe – she has developed for schools.

Ten years ago, Runnion's daughter was abducted, molested and killed. Runnion is on a mission to arm parents with knowledge to keep their kids safe.

"I am honoring Samantha by preventing this from happening to someone else," Runnion said, calling her daughter's victory pose a nod to the program's bravery element.

Runnion's Joyful Child Foundation is launching Be Brave Be Safe. The program is for students in kindergarten through 12th grade, teaching them in-home and at-school safety, bullying defenses, safety in public, technology and Internet safety, physical and verbal resistance skills to escape violence, and how to recognize inappropriate touching and prevent abductions.

"It empowers kids to be able to defend themselves and to keep themselves safe if they have to," Runnion said.

She hopes school districts across the country will adopt the curriculum, which is being piloted in 25 public school classrooms in Lake Forest, Garden Grove, Westminster, Huntington Beach, Irvine, Tustin and Stanton.

"It's phenomenal," Allison Wiemann of Rancho Santa Margarita said. Wiemann is launching the program at Rancho Cañada Elementary School in Lake Forest. "I feel like this is so important and vital for children across the country. It empowers kids to do the right thing."

Darla Kitchen teaches third grade at Schroeder Elementary in the Westminster School District. She has been piloting the Be Brave Be Safe curriculum in her class since January – it's being tested in seven classes at the school – and she is urging the school board to formally implement the program at her school.

"This should be a federal program and should be in classrooms across America," she said.

"It will reduce (the number of) children who fall victims to abductions and help children have a plan to recognize behaviors in adults that may be harmful to them."

Runnion said the Stranger Danger program used in schools now is insufficient.

She said what happened to her daughter – abduction by a complete stranger – is unusual. Of the children abducted each year, 203,900 kids are abducted by family members, 58,000 are taken by someone the family considers a friend and 115 are taken by strangers, Runnion said.

"That's why Stranger Danger doesn't work," Runnion said. "It is usually people we trust that put us in dangerous situations."

The only deterrent for child molesters is the risk of getting caught, she said.

"That's where our vigilance and courage come in, so when we have that feeling that something is not right, be brave and say no," she said.

Runnion's appearance was spurred by a recent attack on two boys near the Ladera Ranch Elementary campus, after which the school's PTA contacted her. Runnion will hold a Be Brave Be Safe workshop May 22 for elementary students in the community.

Audree McClintick signed up her 10-year-old son for the workshop.

"I want him to realize what is appropriate and how to react if he is in a situation he is not comfortable with," she said.

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